


Dragon Season

by Rycalla



Category: Fire Emblem: Shin Ankoku Ryuu to Hikari no Ken | Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
Genre: Dragons, Gen, Graphic Description, Manaketes, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Transformation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-03-16 07:18:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3479240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rycalla/pseuds/Rycalla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tiki comes into heat for the first time, and Marth and the Manaketes have to help her come to terms with it without ending up mating with her. Features Nagi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Fire Emblem is owned by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems  
Tiki had not been feeling well for several days. Not even playing with Marth was making her feel better. She couldn’t remember ever feeling like this before. She was slightly queasy, though not enough to keep her from wanting to constantly eat. And she felt hotter than usual inside. She had also been having weird thoughts, nothing like usual. All of it bothered her greatly. Though Tiki was little more than a child by Manakete standards, she had always been bright and insightful. These new thoughts were nothing even remotely normal and they started every time she’d go near Marth or Xane.  
The young Manakete was bored too. And that was never a good thing. And as much as she wanted to try to convince Marth to play with her again, she didn’t want the disturbing thoughts to start. She had to figure out where they were coming from. Maybe one of the other Manaketes would know, and the most likely would be the only other female, Nagi.  
Nobody was quite sure who Nagi was and where she had come from, but she was very similar to Tiki herself. Tiki had been killed at one point, and Nagi had appeared. Later on Marth’s sister Elise used something called the Aum Staff to raise Tiki. Tiki herself believed Nagi was really Naga, her mother, appearing as she did to avenge her chick but she kept that theory to herself. Despite being hyper, Tiki was not dumb.  
Nagi stared out a window at the castle. She had very little memory, she didn’t know exactly who she was. She wondered about it, whether she was really Naga or not. She barely even felt Tiki pulling at her dress, trying to get her attention. “Nagi, talk to Tiki! C’mon!” The little Manakete cried.  
“Little one, what is troubling you? There is no need to be so frantic,” Nagi said.  
“Nagi is big, right? She knows lots, Tiki knows little. Tiki doesn’t feel well. She wonders what is wrong with her. Tiki feels very warm inside, and her girl parts tickle when she sees Xane or Mar-Mar,” Tiki said.  
“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” Nagi said.  
“Tiki’s girl parts tickle when she sees Mar-Mar or Xane, and…” The young Manakete began.  
“Oh, now I get it. Are you in heat Tiki?” Nagi asked.  
Tiki was confused. “What does that mean?” she asked.  
“Didn’t your mother ever explain it to you?”  
“Tiki doesn’t remember her Mommy Naga. Ban-Ban says Naga died a long time ago.”  
Nagi’s heart broke hearing that. She sometimes wondered if she was Naga reborn, all she knew is she would’ve loved to have a chick like Tiki. “It means…well, it means you’re becoming a woman, okay? Perfect, I’m gonna have to have a conversation with Marth and Xane that means. I’m sure Bantu knows better, but I don’t trust Xane,’ she said.  
“Tiki will come with Nagi!” Tiki cried happily.  
“Guess again. You need to stay out of trouble. Especially in your condition. Stay around here, don’t go playing with Marth until I have a chance to talk to him,” Nagi said sternly.  
“Why? Is Nagi worried Tiki will make Mar-Mar sick?” Tiki asked.  
“I’m worried about much more than that, little one. Much, much more than that.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bleh...this is harder to write than anything else I've written with these Manaketes.

Tiki was bored out of her mind waiting for Nagi to come back and decided there was no harm in going out. She didn’t plan on playing with Marth or anyone anyway, she wanted to turn into a dragon and fly around, even though Bantu had told her doing that too much was a very bad idea, and she had misplaced her Dragonstones again anyway. Either that or they had been taken so she couldn’t cause trouble, not that she did. She was a good little Manakete.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Nagi had made it her mission to find anyone potentially dangerous to Tiki in her state of mind, and that mostly meant Xane and Marth. Xane had been born a Manakete himself, a Divine Dragon like her and Tiki, and although he had lost his power to transform into a dragon, he could turn into a clone of nearly anyone he wanted to. Nagi wasn’t sure if he’d go after Tiki (or any female for that matter) but she had to make sure he didn’t.  
Nagi found Xane playing around. He was turning back and forth from the forms of Marth and Caeda and carrying on some weird conversation he made up. “Xane, I need to talk to you,” Nagi said.  
“Okay, I don’t care what that brat of Naga’s told you I said to Princey, it’s not true. She just doesn’t like me,” Xane said, still in Caeda’s form.  
“Talking like that in that shape kind of bothers me,” Nagi said.  
“Okay, now I know you’re not really Naga. She has a weird sense of humour and would find this hysterical. Alright, tell me what you need to so I can get back to my training.”  
“The things you call training…what kind of Manakete are you?”  
“I was a Divine Dragon like you and that Tiki.”  
“Well, anyway, this isn’t about that, it’s about little Tiki.”  
“What about that kid? Tell you what, she’s been giving me some strange looks.”  
Nagi shook her head. “Oh my, this is much more advanced than I imagined. Xane, I would stay away from Tiki for a while. She’s come into heat, and she’s very suggestible. And I don’t trust you,” she said.  
Xane turned back into himself and started laughing. “Me and Tiki? That’s rich, Nagi. Like that would ever happen. The girl is cute, but she’s not my type and even if she was she’s just a kid,” he said.  
“I still think it would be the best idea to stay away from her. She’s not in her right mind, and she might do things she’d never normally do. Tiki is barely even an adolescent, it wouldn’t be good for anyone if she were to have a child at her age. It might even kill her.”  
“Look, Nagi, even something did happen between me and Tiki—and trust me, it’s not gonna—doesn’t mean anything bad would happen. We’re Manaketes. You know as well as the rest of us that we’re practically sterile, even if she is in heat. I promise, I won’t touch the girl no matter how much she begs,” Xane said. “Now, can I please go back to what I was doing? The one I’d worry about nailing Tiki would be Princey…that girl can’t keep away from him.”  
“Okay, I trust you.”  
“No ya don’t. You don’t believe me at all. I have to be able to read people, and I can tell you you’re just thinking you have to still keep an eye on me. I told you, I promise not to touch Tiki. Just because I’m bisexual doesn’t mean I’m in love with everything that moves. I have standards, Nagi. I’d more likely try to sleep with you than with her, okay?” Xane said.  
“Just try to keep a distance from Tiki and her pheromones. Please. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go find Marth. Have you seen him? I just hope Tiki listened to me and stayed put. Can’t have her running off and misbehaving until I have this covered. I do owe her a full explanation, but not until I make sure she doesn’t act on her thoughts,” Nagi said, running off to try to find Marth.


	3. Chapter 3

Tiki had wandered off, and she had found Marth herself, who was with Caeda so the Manakete wasn’t going to suggest anything. Marth and Caeda were engaged, and much as Tiki didn’t like that fact because she wanted Marth for herself, she couldn’t do much. She had to keep quiet about her strange feelings, but in her state, it was not going to be easy.  
“Mar-Mar and Caeda need to have a lot of kids when you get married!” Tiki exclaimed.  
“Why are you so interested in us having children?” Marth asked.  
“Because Tiki is going to have lots and lots of little dragons someday, and they need someone to play with,” Tiki said happily.  
“I always heard Manaketes were almost barren,” Caeda said.  
“Yeah, but Tiki is special. She’s Naga’s child, and Naga was the Queen of the Manaketes. She was different than other dragons, so Tiki is different than other dragons too,” Tiki said.  
Nagi walked in, and immediately saw Tiki. “What are you doing here? I told you to stay where you were until I could get this sorted out! You don’t know how dangerous you are, little one!” The elder Manakete yelled.  
“What’s all this about?” Marth asked.  
“I need to have a talk with you. Caeda, please take Tiki out of here. She doesn’t understand yet, I’ll have to talk to her later,” Nagi said.  
“Why can’t you talk to Tiki first? If there’s something she needs to understand, then make her understand,” Marth said.  
“It’s…embarrassing. I would rather talk to her alone, but there are things I need to clarify with you first,” Nagi said, looking at her hands.  
“Why? What’s embarrassing? Tiki doesn’t want to know later, she wants to know now!” The younger Manakete whined.  
“Just go with Caeda and don’t come back until I tell you to, got me? Don’t go anywhere this time. If you do, I’m gonna be very angry, and you won’t be happy if I get angry!” Nagi snapped. Tiki simply nodded. She didn’t mean to be bad, it had just happened. She followed Caeda out of the room.  
“What’s on your mind, Nagi? Tiki was just playing with us, she wasn’t doing anything wrong,” Marth said.  
“Marth, I would avoid her for a month or two. She might be playing now, but she is coming into season and she might try to do things to you. A Manakete her age does not understand what is going on with her body. I’ve already talked to Xane about it, and he promised me he wouldn’t do anything. I just thought I’d make you aware in case she tries to mate with you or something. I don’t know how we’d stop her if she did, either. This is her first heat cycle and she isn’t really ready to deal with it on her own, she can’t easily control her feelings or her actions. I’m probably gonna have to explain this to her later, but I don’t know how to go about doing it. It’s a mother’s job. For me it’s really embarrassing, even if I may be Naga reborn,” Nagi said.  
“If it bothers you that much I could have Elise and Caeda talk to her. Even if they aren’t Manaketes they’re still women, and she won’t try to sleep with them. Are you guys that different? I mean, besides being dragons and all,” Marth said.  
“If you do that, please let me know. I will have to be there too,” Nagi said, “even just if I were there only to make sure they were giving her the right information.”


	4. Chapter 4

Tiki decided to lay down after Caeda had removed her from the room, but she kept rolling around. She never slept, but she had never done quite that before. There had been more than once Marth had awakened in his bed to find her laying in the bed next to him and Caeda, watching him. She claimed just to do it to protect him in case someone came in and tried to kill him or something, but it was weird.  
“Can’t you stay still?” Caeda asked.  
“Tiki doesn’t feel good. Trying to get comfortable,” The Manakete said frantically. “Caeda, what could be wrong with Tiki? She never felt like this before.”  
“I don’t know. Why don’t you ask Nagi? I honestly have no idea what to tell you. When Marth gets done with her, I’ll ask her. How in the world can you lay like that? No wonder you’re uncomfortable,” Caeda said. Tiki was sprawled on her back, twitching, at this point.  
“Tiki hurts all over, but it’s not injured hurt, it just feels strange. Hot inside, like fire,” Tiki said.  
“You’re a dragon. I imagine dragons must feel hot inside, I mean, they breathe fire and all,” Caeda said.  
“Nope, only Fire Dragons like Ban-Ban breathe fire naturally. Tiki is a Divine Dragon, we breathe mist unless we have Firestones. Not hot inside all the time like this even then. Why won’t Nagi let Tiki play with Mar-Mar? She’s so mean to Tiki!” Tiki cried.  
“Please stop crying and I’ll see if I can get you some ice. If you’d like, I’ll talk to Nagi for you. See what’s really going on here.”  
“Caeda would do that for Tiki? Even if she gets mad when she finds Tiki in bed with her and Mar-Mar all the time?”  
“Yes, but really, you need to stop doing that. It’s getting disturbing.”  
“Tiki has to protect Mar-Mar and Caeda. She loves them and she’s worried bad people like Gharnef will hurt them,” Tiki said happily.  
“We appreciate your concern, but you can’t keep doing that. Marth and I have guards, don’t worry so much about us,” Caeda assured her.  
Nagi walked out. “Caeda, send someone to find Elise. It’s time we had a serious talk with Tiki. I’d go and find her, but I have to make sure she doesn’t wander off again,” The older Manakete said.  
“What is wrong with her anyway? You’re so adamant that she’s got to stay indoors and all and were so mad when she came to see Marth,” Caeda said.  
“Tiki has come into her first heat cycle, and I worry about her and those around her, particularly Marth and Xane. Xane promised me he wouldn’t mess with Tiki…”   
“Jerk,” Tiki cut in.  
“…but I don’t know that I trust him. Marth said he’d never do anything to her, but it’s her I worry about doing things to him,” Nagi finished.  
“Tiki would never hurt Mar-Mar!” Tiki yelled.  
“I know you wouldn’t do anything on purpose, you’re a good little Manakete. However, in your condition, you might do something you don’t mean to,” Naga said.  
That got Caeda angry. “You are going to stay far away from Marth for a long time, you little dragon harlot!” She yelled. Tiki’s eyes filled with tears upon hearing that, even if she didn’t understand all of it.   
“Please calm yourself Lady Caeda. I’m working to prevent any problem with Miss Tiki, but we need to explain all this to her, and Marth suggested some of the women should give her The Talk, whatever that means. Tiki, stop crying, she didn’t mean it,” Nagi said.  
“I meant every word,” Caeda hissed.  
“She can’t help it, don’t be mean to her,” Nagi said.  
“Tiki doesn’t know what’s wrong with her nobody will tell her and Caeda is being so mean!” Tiki cried.  
“Tiki dear, we’re going to tell you everything as soon as we can get ahold of Lady Elise,” Nagi said, picking up the younger Manakete and hugging her, trying to comfort her.  
“Is Nagi sure she isn’t really Tiki’s mom?” Tiki whispered in Nagi’s ear.  
“I’m not sure of anything, little one, but I can’t let anyone get hurt from you being like this,” Nagi said. “Caeda, please either find Lady Elise or send someone after her. I’m taking Tiki out to the river. The cool water should feel good to her.”


	5. Chapter 5

Once Elise had been located, Nagi took Tiki down to the river. The women were going to explain everything to the young Manakete, and maybe try to make her feel better. Tiki kept stealing glances at Elise and Caeda while Nagi was trying to get her clothes off. She was not modest, but she didn’t know if either of the women would have a problem with her. Tiki decided to show off one of her secrets too.  
“You’ve got wings?!” Caeda asked in shock. Tiki had feathered wings, but she apparently could hide them, since nobody else had seen them before.  
“Yeah, Tiki does. She can retract them inside her and usually does. A lot of Manaketes are born with them. If Tiki wants to fly, she turns into a dragon so she doesn’t use them that much,” Tiki said. “Aren’t they pretty?”  
“They’re very beautiful. You’re kind of like an angel, proof that you’re a Divine Dragon,” Elise said.  
Nagi picked up Tiki again and went into the river with her, not seeming to care that her clothes would get wet. “Does this feel better?” She asked Tiki sweetly.  
“Oh yes. Very much so, nice and cool,” Tiki purred.  
“Do you know how to swim?” Elise asked.  
“Not very well. Tiki never had a chance to learn. She’s only been awake a few years,” Tiki said.  
“I always thought it was instinctual, but we’ll protect you,” Caeda said.  
“There’s another reason we brought you out here, other than making you feel better,” Nagi said. “It’s time we had a serious talk. It’s something your mother would’ve told you if she were alive, and as a female Manakete I feel it is my place. Elise and Caeda can help, but they’re more here to protect you in case we’re attacked. I don’t want the men around, you can understand.”  
“Not like she’s got anything to look at yet anyway,” Caeda remarked.  
“Tiki, you’re becoming a young woman. When a female Manakete gets to a certain age, certain things start to change,” Nagi said, rubbing the younger Manakete’s shoulders.  
“Tiki doesn’t like how this is starting to sound, is she sick?” Tiki asked.  
“You’re fine, don’t worry about that. You’re having your first heat cycle, don’t you know what that means? Your reproductive system has awakened, and you’ll actually be fertile for a few days. You’re becoming an adolescent. Manaketes come into heat only once every fifty years or so,” Nagi said.  
“Tiki is just little,” Tiki said.  
“Girls mature faster than boys. You’re young, but you’re not that little. And though Manaketes have trouble conceiving children, it’s certainly not impossible. Someday you could have little Divine Dragons of your own,” Nagi said.  
This interested Tiki quite a bit. “Tiki can have little Manakete babies? Always wanted to, but was never sure…Bantu always told Tiki she was a miracle herself, that there aren’t a lot of Manakete children and even less Divine Dragons!” The dragon princess exclaimed delightedly.  
“Don’t go trying it!” Elise exclaimed.  
“Yeah Tiki, that would be a very bad idea at your age. Once you get bigger, sure, but not in our lifetimes,” Caeda agreed.  
“Why would it be a bad idea? Manaketes are rare, this world needs more Divine Dragons,” Tiki said.  
“You’re young and tiny, it could kill you. Pregnancy is not easy. And even if you were okay it wouldn’t be healthy for the chick,” Nagi said gently.   
“Do you even know how a woman gets pregnant?” Caeda asked. Tiki shook her head. “Great. I can’t believe we’re gonna have to explain this to a Manakete. This is incredibly weird.”  
“Caeda, calm yourself. Let’s just leave that to Nagi,” Elise said.  
“That’s why I was talking to Xane and Marth. They’re the ones most dangerous to her right now. Xane because he’s technically a Divine Dragon and her pheromones might make him want to do things to her, and Marth because…” Nagi began  
“…because she has an unhealthy crush on him when she knows perfectly well he’s mine!” Caeda finished.  
“Tiki knows Mar-Mar is going to marry Caeda! She just doesn’t see why he can’t have more than one wife! Manaketes can have multiple mates!” Tiki yelled.  
“Because you live a million years and if you marry humans they die before you even age a little bit!” Caeda roared.  
“Caeda, please don’t antagonize her. She doesn’t feel well, she’s not in her right mind. I don’t think she really wants to marry Marth, her hormones are just giving her an incredible desire for intimacy so she can get pregnant. He will be long gone by the time she’s ready to have children and we all know it. And for the record, we don’t live for a million years, just many thousands. A hundred years or so is like one to us,” Nagi said, washing Tiki.


	6. Chapter 6

Nagi didn’t know how she was going to explain the mechanics of sex to Tiki. Having basically no memory she wasn’t sure about it herself, and what she did know she wasn’t sure the child would understand. Tiki was smart, but she was still just a child. And it had to be Nagi who told her, nobody else would be right. The girls knew nothing about Manakete physiology and some of the boys would just try to mate with Tiki…or worse, she’d try to mate with them.  
Once Tiki seemed cooled down a little from the river, she and Nagi sat on the grass, the older Manakete still trying to figure out how to word what she wanted to say. Elise and Caeda stayed at a distance, not wanting to get involved any more than they had to.  
“Nagi?” Tiki asked. She could sense there was something troubling the dragon woman, but she had no idea what.  
“Yes Tiki?”   
“Nagi seems to be deep in thought. Can Tiki help?” The young Manakete asked.  
“No, just dry off and get your clothes back on. I have to figure something out, but nothing you would understand yet,” Nagi said.  
“If Tiki puts her clothes back on, she’ll be hot again, and a hot little dragon is not a happy little dragon,” Tiki argued.   
Nagi glared at her. “You heard me, Tiki. Put your clothes back on. You are a child, and I’m an adult. You must listen to your elders. Do as I say, and leave me to my thoughts!” She snapped.   
Tiki dried her feathers off and retracted her wings back inside of her. Then she reluctantly put her clothes back on and sat back down, arms folded. “Tiki is hot again, not happy,” She growled. Naga nodded and motioned for Tiki to come sit on her lap. The little Manakete did so, even though she was still angry.  
“Tiki, males and females are different. I believe you may know this, but you don’t seem to know how they’re different,” Nagi said.  
“Why doesn’t Nagi just tell Tiki how they’re different?” Tiki asked.  
“I’m getting to that. Males have something different than what we have. And there are many ways males and females interact, but there is one very special way. You see, you’re in heat, you could very well be fertile. Once you get older—NOT NOW mind you— you might want to have children, and that would mean you would have to be with a male. As I said, they have a part different than ours, and when the time comes, he will insert it inside your…well, your girl parts, to put it in a way you’ll understand,” Nagi said.  
Tiki looked absolutely horrified. “Tiki doesn’t want to do that! That must hurt a lot!” She cried.  
“I heard it actually feels really good,” Caeda said.  
Tiki pulled her legs under her and curled up into a ball on Nagi’s lap. The older Manakete scratched her behind the ears, trying to calm her. “I knew this would be a lot for you to take in, that’s why I had so much trouble figuring out how to tell you. You’re simply not old enough to really understand it. But Caeda’s right, I don’t think it hurts that much. I don’t know, as far as I know I’ve never done it,” Nagi said softly.  
“Tiki still wants to have little dragons someday, but if it’s like that…” Tiki trailed off.  
“You’re still very young, you’ll understand when you get older. You’ll be a fine mother someday, I’m sure of it,” Nagi said.


	7. Chapter 7

Even after talking to the women, Tiki still didn’t understand. She understood that she was capable of reproducing, but otherwise she was clueless. She didn’t get why it would be such a bad idea to have a child. She was one of the last Divine Dragons, she needed to have children and there was a chance she could have another Divine Dragon with any male Manakete, even a Fire Dragon like Bantu, it was how they worked. She knew she was small, but she also knew that nobody would let anything bad happen to her, especially if she actually did manage to get pregnant.  
Tiki believed she’d be a good mother too. She’d love her child and take care of it and never let anyone hurt it. She just had to mate with a male Manakete, and there were several choices, at least as far as she was concerned. Yes, she loved Marth, but she thought it would be better if she were to ask the male Manaketes first. She didn’t know whether or not Manaketes could reproduce with humans, and even so she preferred the idea of having a pure Manakete, especially if she did have a Divine Dragon. With Xane a Divine Dragon was assured, but Tiki didn’t particularly like him very much. Although Bantu was old, he was actually more appealing to her at this point.  
“Ban-Ban! Tiki wants to talk to you!” The young Manakete cried once she and the women had gotten back from the river. Caeda and Elise had gone off to do whatever they did during the day, and Nagi had decided to rest in the room in the castle the Manaketes had converted into a dragon’s den.  
Bantu was resting too, but he heard her. Manaketes had long ears for a reason, they had incredible hearing. He liked Tiki, he always would talk to her, and she sounded distressed. It had to be import  
As soon as Tiki saw Bantu she launched herself at him, hugging him and nuzzling him. She wasn’t usually so affectionate, but Bantu could tell she was in heat. He didn’t think too much about it, since he was many thousands of years old. It was highly unlikely Tiki would want him, at least he thought so. “Tiki, you seem frantic,” Bantu said.  
“Oh, no. Quite fine. Ban-Ban, Tiki wants to ask you something,” Tiki said, still hugging the other Manakete.  
“What is it, little Tiki?”  
“Well, Tiki is in heat. Nagi says that means she can have babies. Tiki wants to have babies, but they need a daddy. Would Ban-Ban like to give Tiki little dragons? Tiki doesn’t care than Ban-Ban is old, age is just a number,” Tiki said.  
Bantu was shocked and appalled. “Tiki! Where in Naga’s name are you getting these ideas?! Do you even realize what you’re asking? Of course I’m not going to mate with you and I’m stunned you’d even ask!” he roared. Tiki had never heard him yell at her like that. She backed off, tears brimming in her green eyes.  
“Tiki is the only Divine Dragon! She needs lots of babies!” Tiki insisted.  
“Tiki, listen to me. I shouldn’t have yelled, but that question…I’m sorry, but it’s not going to happen. You are much too young, and even if you weren’t, I still wouldn’t do it. It’s nothing against you, I promise,” Bantu said.  
Tiki folded her arms and pouted. “Yes it is. You don’t like Tiki,” she hissed.  
“I care very much for you. That is one of the reasons I won’t mate with you. You’re so young, you shouldn’t be trying to grow up so fast. And I’m sure there are much better Manaketes out there to have children with. Besides, I’m no good anyway. I can’t father children. I, like a number of Manaketes, am sterile,” Bantu explained.  
“That’s so sad,” Tiki said.  
“It’s part of the reason there are so few Manaketes. We rarely reproduce, and even if a female is in heat, she’s unlikely to conceive. A lot of male Manaketes are sterile.”  
“Okay, Tiki will ask Xane instead, even he is a jerk!”   
“Tiki, listen to me and listen well: You are a child yourself. You don’t get to be doing this. Having a baby at your age? You may die, your offspring would likely die. And even if you did manage to have a living child, you wouldn’t know how to take care of it like a Manakete chick deserves. You don’t know how to be a mother. Enjoy being a child. You’ll have plenty of time when you get bigger to try to have children. And it’s just as likely Xane has issues too, even if he isn’t completely sterile. I don’t believe I’ve ever met a male Manakete who hasn’t had problems like that,” Bantu said. “I am going to tell Nagi about this, you can be sure.”


	8. Chapter 8

Tiki was still upset that Bantu couldn’t give her children. Of all the Manaketes in all the world she was stuck asking Xane. Yes, he had been born a Divine Dragon, and yes, that would mean the guaranteed continuation of Naga’s bloodline and of her tribe if they had dragon chicks together, but she didn’t particularly like him. Xane would endlessly tease her; and although he controlled himself around her, he didn’t like humans. Tiki didn’t get how any Divine Dragon could not like humans. Naga loved them, Tiki loved them (or Marth at the very least), and all the Divine tribe should follow their examples. Tiki was sure Xane didn’t hate her, but she didn’t think he liked her very much.  
Xane was also not an easy Manakete to approach. He was just plain weird. He’d often be in some other form, picking on someone. Nagi had told her that she had seen Xane switching back and forth between Marth and Caeda’s forms and having some sarcastic conversation with himself the other day. But Tiki had to admit, he was major cute in what was probably his real shape. It made her nethers tingle when she thought about that. She did want to have very cute chicks. Bantu had told her before that he wasn’t sure Xane had any interest in girls, especially not children, but Tiki didn’t understand the reasoning yet.  
The biggest problem at that moment was that the male Manakete was also sometimes hard to find because of his powers. One never knew what form he’d be in, unless he decided to come tease her again. And what if Bantu was right and Xane was sterile too? Tiki didn’t want to think about that, she didn’t know any other male Manaketes and she really wanted a pureblood Manakete baby even if it were possible to mate with humans (because she just wasn’t sure).  
Tiki checked the dragon’s nest, but all she found there were Nagi and Bantu both asleep. Xane was probably out. Tiki was glad the elder Manaketes were asleep, so she could have some alone time with Xane if she managed to find him without the others finding her. She figured she’d have an easier time looking for him if she surveyed from the sky, so she let out her wings and took to the air. If anyone saw her from her height, they’d likely just confuse her for a Pegasus, so she wasn’t too worried about anyone noticing the winged girl.  
Tiki was in luck. The Manakete boy was close by, drinking under a tree. Probably had stolen wine from the nearby village again. Though he didn’t look it, he was older than her, but humans probably wouldn’t think he was old enough to drink and wouldn’t sell it to him. Of course, why would that matter since he could just change shape to look as old as he wanted? Tiki alighted on a branch and jumped out of the tree right in front of Xane, startling him.  
“Oh, it’s just you. Does Princey need me? Sheesh, every time I get a break I have to go do something I hate, lucky me,” Xane said, getting up.  
“Nope. Mar-Mar isn’t looking for Xane, Tiki is alone,” Tiki said.  
Xane stiffened. Tiki had a certain look in her eyes, and she was in heat. He knew what the girl wanted. And yes, she was cute, but he wasn’t about to do anything to her. “Tiki, no. I promised Nagi I wouldn’t,” he said.  
“Wouldn’t what?”  
“You know. You’re gonna ask me to have sex with you, and I’m not gonna do it. You’re kind of cute, I like you as a friend, and you’re a Divine Dragon, but I’m not mating with you. You’re a kid, I’d get in trouble, you’re not my type, and I already told you I promised Nagi it wouldn’t happen!” Xane snapped. “And don’t start crying. This is for your own good. If you were older and hotter, maybe, but not right now.”  
“What does Xane mean Tiki isn’t his type? We’re both Divine Dragons! That’s as close as we can get! Xane needs to mate with Tiki because Bantu can’t give her chicks!” Tiki cried.  
“Wow, really? I knew the guy was old but…okay, you just don’t get it. I’m sure you heard this from Bantu and Nagi and everyone, but you’re gonna hear it again: You are just a kid, Tiki. You have about a thousand years before you should worry about having children. Any male Manakete can give you a Divine Dragon, just like I could father one with any female. I’m a special dragon, I like girls and guys. Your hormones are just telling you what to do, Tiki,” Xane said calmly. He really didn’t want Tiki to start crying like a baby again. She had done that too many times, and he couldn’t stand it.  
“Xane doesn’t love Tiki! Or is he sterile too?”  
“I like you, but I’m not in love with you! And I AM NOT STERILE!!” Xane roared. He marched off, furious that Tiki would say something like that. He was gonna have to talk to Bantu about where Tiki would get these horrible ideas. The female Manakete just stood there, shocked and not sure what she had done wrong.


	9. Chapter 9

Xane was enraged and Bantu was still a bit weirded out. And the only one they could confront about Tiki’s behavior was Nagi. She was the one who had told the girl all those things.  
“Hey Nagi! Why is it Tiki thinks I’ve been castrated?!” Xane asked in a rage.  
“Why would I know about that? And she didn’t even know how one has children until I talked to her. She wouldn’t even know what that means so how would she ask something like that?” Nagi wondered.  
“I’m the one who told her most male Manaketes are sterile. I never used the word ‘castrated’,” Bantu said.  
“Okay, so maybe those weren’t Tiki’s exact words, but she did ask if I were sterile!” Xane yelled.  
“There’s a very big difference, Xane,” Nagi said.  
“Whatever. And she got this idea from you, Bantu? What have you been tellin’ the kid?” Xane roared.  
“She wanted to mate with me, and from your enraged outbursts, I can tell she asked you too. I can’t really blame her, she is in heat, but she needs to be watched. Where is she?” Bantu asked.  
“Probably havin’ a nice long walk home to think about what she said to me. I’m not sterile,” Xane growled.  
“You just left her out there?” Nagi asked.  
“Tiki knows how to get home. She can fly, she can walk. Despite her new problem Tiki is smart, she isn’t goin’ to get lost.”  
“I have to find her, Xane! That was very foolish! She could get hurt, or even if she does find her way home, I have a bad feeling she’s going to go after Marth next!”   
“Like Caeda or anyone would let her mate with Princey?”  
“Do you think Tiki may try to force herself on Marth? I agree, Nagi. We need to find her, maybe I could guard her for the remainder of her cycle. I can keep her from doing anything. She’s not a bad girl, but with her hormones she may do things she’d never even consider other times. I don’t want to see her get hurt,” Bantu said.  
“She does need to be guarded, but not by you. You may be sterile, but I still don’t trust her to not attempt something. I will do it. I am female, she will have no interest in me,” Nagi said.  
“I could do it too! I could go into female form and protect her! I could be any girl!” Xane cried.  
“No. I’m not going to take the chance that you’ve already been affected by her pheromones and are just trying to have a chance alone with her,” Nagi said.  
“Nagi, if I had wanted the girl I wouldn’t have left her out in the woods like that. We were alone, it would’ve been a perfect chance to mate with her, but I didn’t. And I already promised ya I wouldn’t, why would I lie?”  
“Because most of the time you’re technically a healthy male.”  
“Nagi, I’ve told ya so many times already. Tiki isn’t my type, at least not now! Maybe when she’s older I’ll be interested. I’d be more likely to want to mate with you than her. The kid is too young for me, and her behavior right now just proves what a kid she is,” Xane said.


End file.
